Reading firefighters extinguish small fire in South Fourth Street apartment

The fire was apparently caused by a cigarette that ignited a window sill.

Written by Reading Eagle

Reading, PA —

Firefighters made quick work of a minor fire in a window frame at an apartment house Saturday evening in south Reading.

Crews were dispatched shortly before 6 p.m. to the 100 block of South Fourth Street for the report of alarm bells sounding.

The first on scene reported smoke showing from the rear of an apartment building at 125-127 S. Fourth St.

Some residents fled through the front door with fire alarms sounding while others remained inside watching the crews.

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Firefighters placed a ladder to the rear widow of a second-story apartment, pulling away loose bricks and spraying water on the wall. Other firefighters at the scene reported smoke on the third floor.

First Deputy Chief Gary Mogel said a cigarette likely caused the window sill in the second-floor apartment to ignite, burning its way toward the ceiling. Mogel said the resident in the apartment awoke to find the window sill burning and attempted to extinguish it himself, suffering a burn to a hand.

The fire was declared under control by 6:15 p.m., Mogel said.

According to property records, the apartment building is owned by KBG Investments.